The Skylands, Drive to It Not Through It

It's known as New Jersey's "Great Northwest," the Skylands Region is a beautiful, breathtaking part of the state that offers a natural landscape that's filled with lakes, rivers and picturesque hills dotted with farms. Throughout the Skylands you will find a variety of accommodations - from quaint BB's, inns and vacation resorts to hotels ready to handle your every need. The New Jersey Skylands is perfectly complemented by many towns and villages that offer travelers many things to do - unsurpassed entertainment, shopping and dining opportunities, museums and theaters in towns like Lambertville, Frenchtown or Flemington. Wildlife lovers will find the Atlantic flyway makes the Skylands one of the best wildlife viewing areas in the state.

In general, New Jersey boasts the highest density of wildlife per square mile of any state in the nation, with more than 325 species of birds, 90 mammal species, 79 reptile and amphibian species and more than 400 species of fish. Visitors can hike 74 miles of the Appalachian Trail that passes through the Delaware Water Gap, High Point and Wawayanda state parks.

The Skylands is rich in history. Hessians and the Continental Army scurried back and forth across the counties and what has become known as the "Crossroads of the American Revolution." Gen. George Washington's troops spent two harsh winters in the hills of Morristown. The strategic location afforded him proximity to New York City, defensible terrain, important communication routes and access to critical resources. Visit this historic site at Morristown National Historic Park.

Enjoy taking the Wine Trail with stops at the Four Sisters Winery in Belvidere. In Finesville, visit the Alba Vineyards and New Jersey's only organic vineyard - Villa Milagro Vineyards. Visit some of the old furnaces and museums related to the Iron Ore industry. Franklin Mineral Museum, Sterling Hill Mining Museum and Oxford Furnace and Shippen Manor are great places to visit if you are a history buff or teacher with a group of children eager to learn. For active outdoor fun there plenty of hiking and biking trails or a raft, tube, kayak or canoe trip down the Delaware River.